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Mystery  of  the  West 

By 
HENRY  NEHEMIAH  DODGE 

Author  of  "Ckristus  Victor" 


Boston  :  Richard  G.  Badger 
(Snrijam  pr?BB 
1906    -.  - 


Copyright  1906  by  HENRY  NEHEMIAH  DODGE 
All  rights  reserved 


PRINTED  AT 
.  GORHAM  PRESS 
,  U.   S.  A. 


I  k  y.  ' 


FOREWORD 


What  time  I  hear  the  storming  sea, 
Blood  of  my  ancestor  stirs  in  me; 
The  quiet  stream  awakes  from  sleep, 
And  I  long  to  beard  the  tawny  deep. 

I  meet  the  rushing  wind's  embrace, 
I  feel  the  sea-foam  on  my  face, 
I  ride  at  will  on  the  hissing  wave, 
And  the  wrath  of  bellowing  ocean  brave. 

I  wrestle  alone  with  the  terrible  gale, 
And  in  its  teeth  triumphant  sail; 
Or  fly  before  the  driving  blast, 
And  laugh  at  the  gulls,  as  I  hurtle  past. 

Thrustararorum  was  his  name, 

The  brave  old  fisher  from  whom  I  came! 

From  cold  Newfoundland  fogs  he  sailed 
In  his  fishing  boat,  nor  ever  quailed 
When  fierce  Atlantic's  waking  wrath 
Piled  mountain  billows  in  his  path. 

The  ghostly  iceberg-wraith  he  cleared, 

Though  it  crowded  him  close,  like  a  phantom  weird; 

For  a  valiant  sailorman  was  he, 

And  he  scorned  the  dangers  of  the  sea. 

His  sturdy  arm  ruled  sure  the  helm; 
No  wild  nor  east  could  his  soul  overwhelm; 
He  knew  the  pathways  of  the  sea, 
And  loved  his  life  of  liberty. 

3 


Fti'rl  sur^ktss'e'4'  Mah'issc?<'he  steered, 

Nor  loud  Point  Judith's  anger  feared, 

And  he  built  him  there  an  island  home 

Where  the  mackerel  swarm  and  the  sword-fish  roam. 

Thrustararorum  was  his  name, 

The  brave  old  fisher  from  whom  I  came! 

Afar  the  cliffs  o'er  the  ocean  loom, 

Afar  the  thundering  breakers  boom; 

The  pastures  lie  in  the  golden  light, 

And  the  heart  of  the  islander  leaps  at  the  sight. 

There  he  taught  the  people  fisher-lore  — 
Neptune  afloat,  Solon  ashore, 
Lived  he  and  labored  on  Manisses  fair, 
Where  the  pond-lily  breathes  on  the  balmy  air. 

With  brawny  arm  he  hauled  the  net, 
And  I  see  in  my  hands  the  mark  of  it  yet; 
One  of  earth's  toilers,  strong  and  free, 
He  left  me  his  love  of  liberty. 

Thrustararorum  was  his  name, 

The  brave  old  fisher  from  whom  I  camel 

As  I  sing  it  now  I  seem  to  hear 
The  voice  of  ocean  loud  in  my  ear, 
The  rush  and  roll  of  the  breaker's  roar, 
The  lofty  song  of  his  island  shore. 

Thrustararorum  was  his  name, 

The  brave  old  fisher  from  whom  I  came! 

And  when  I  tire  of  the  tedious  round, 

I  put  out  for  the  ancient  fishing  ground; 

I  and  my  ancestor  fishing  go, 

Where  the  billows  dance  and  the  salt  winds  blow. 


And  the  floods  and  the  sky  the'v  welcome  zi 

And  I  feel  what  a  joy  it  is  to  live, 

And  my  soul  escapes  like  a  bird  at  the  sound 

Of  our  rippling  bow  — 

As  into  the  ocean's  arms  we  bound! 

Thrustararorum  was  his  name, 

The  brave  old  fisher  from  whom  I  camel 


CONTENTS 


MYSTERY  OF  THE  H  EST 

Polar   Night           .  ,       .         ,        >        .  .     13 

Leif  Ericksson         .         ....         .         .  .     13 

Budding  of  Ygdrasil       .         *      ,  ,«         .  .     14 

Too  Soon  the  Light      .        .     '  .       ...  .     16 

Rumors           .         .         .         «         .         *  •     16 

The  Dark  Ages      .         .         .         .         .  .17 

Columbus  at  the  Convent        .         .         .  .18 

Fall  of  Granada    .         .         .         ...     20 

The  King  Summons  Columbus       .         .  .20 

Columbus  before  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  .     21 

Battle  of  the  Winds        .         .        -.         .  .     22 

Columbus  Met  by  Little  Birds      .         .  .23 

Ave   Regina           .         .         .         .         .  .24 

Natives'  Song  of  Welcome  to  Columbus  .     25 

Landing   of    Columbus            .         .         .  .     25 

Earthly  Paradise 26 

Ere  Shadows  Fall 26 

The  Admiral's  Return    .         .         .         .  .     27 

Into  the  Darkness           .         .         .         .  .     29 

Columbus  in  Prison       .         .         .         .  .29 

Blow  Tropic  Winds      .         •         •         •  •     3° 

CHANT  FOR   THE  CHILDREN  OF 
MYSTERY. 

COMING  OF  THE  NATIONS 

Freedom   Enthroned       .        .        .        .  .     41 

A  Warning  Voice           ,         .         .         .  .     43 

Song  of  the  Hebrews      .        .        .        .  .44 


CONTENTS 


Song  of  the  Italians 

Song  of  the  Germans     .. 

Song  of  the  Irish    . 

Song  of  the  Hungarians 

Dirge  of  the  Finns 

Cry  of  the  Armenians      .- 

Song  of  the  Poles 

Song  of  the  Russians 

Song  of  the  French 

Song  of  the  English 

Song  of  the  Freedmen    . 

Cry  of  the  Vanquished 

Song  of  the  Victor 

The  Giant  Mutters  in  Sleep 

Freedom's  Song  of  Welcome 

Invocation 


45 
46 
47 
48 
49 
50 


53 
53 

55 
56 
57 
58 
60 
62 


To  sea-lords,  strong  of  soul, 
Who  sought  the  dreamed-of  goal 
Where,  wrapped  in  mystery  deep, 
Far  realms  of  wonder  sleep; 
To  the  heroic  dead, 
Who  for  great  Freedom  bled, 
Or  worshipped  at  her  shrine 
And  kept  the  flame  divine; 
To  all  who  in  our  day, 
Rejoicing,  own  her  sway, 
As  purer  glows  the  light 
Athwart  the  lingering  night; 
To  those  who  faithful  stand 
Throughout  this  seething  land, 
From  wrong  to  guard  the  state — 
My  song  I  dedicate. 


Mystery  of  the  West 

Read  before  the  Delta   Chapter  of 
Massachusetts  Phi  Beta  Kappa 


ii 


Mystery  of  the  West 

POLAR  NIGHT 

Vast  looms  the  night, 

Vast  springs  the  steel-blue  dome,  star-pierced,  from 

rim  to  rim  of  horizon; 
Infinite  flashes  the  world-spanning  arch,  with  ma- 

jestical   sweep,    ice-floored,    paved   all   with 

terror  ; 

Cold,  cold,  relentless,  eternal. 
Vast  sleeps  the  silence  unbroken, 
Save  by  the  far  distant  shriek  of  the  polar  bear's 

victim ; 

Save  by  titanic  convulsion  of  ice  rent  asunder  — 
Mighty  pulsation  and  throe  of  the  gloom! 

LEIF  ERIKSSON 

"  Out  of  this  icy  north, 

0  Dragon-ship,  sail  forth; 
Flee,  flee  this  world  of  snow, 
Where  the  fiery  north-lights  glow; 
Haste  thee,  brave  keel,  away; 

1  seek  a  fairer  day ! 

"  By  the  hammer  of  Thor,  I  will  come  again 

In  my  valiant  boat  with  my  sea-scarred  men, 

Back  in  triumph  to  Brattalihd. 

And  here  in  the  midst  of  the  wassail-hall  — 

Hero  of  jarl  and  maiden  and  thrall  — 

Tales  of  far-away  shores  will  I  tell 

Till  your  hearts  with  envy  and  longing  swell. 

"  Then  shall  clash  full  mead-horns,  the  fire  logs  roar, 
And  the  glare  of  the  flames  leap  on  rafter  and  floor, 
While  the  skalds  with  their  sagas  my  prowess  sing, 
And  fierce,  long  cries  of  the  Vikings  ring." 


"  O    Leif,    great   Erik's   son,    beware   the   ocean's 
wrath!" 

"  What  care  I  for  thy  fears  of  the  dread  sea-god's 

path? 

I  fear  not  Maelstrom,  nay,  nor  iceberg's  crash, 
Nor  tempests  wild  that  fuming  billows  lash. 
Fare  forth,  O  ship,  for  I  would  fain  be  gone; 
The  winter  dies,  behold  the  breaking  dawn ! 
The  summer-land   I   seek,   where   the  wild   grape 

scents  the  air; 
Up  sail,  for  I  would  found  me  Norembega  fair!  " 

BUDDING  OF  YGDRASIL 

Why  do  ye  stir  yourselves,  O  ancient  sea-gods, 

Waking  in  ire  from  the  sleep  of  long  ages  ? 

Is  it  your  restlessness,  as  ye  lie  dreaming, 

Dreaming  of  glories  past,  O  mighty  Aesir, 

Who  from  high  Asgard  ruled  the  fierce  Norsemen? 

Is  it  your  turning  provokes  the  wild  tumult, 

Swirling  and  seething  from  terrible  Maelstrom, 

Hurling  destruction  and  woe  on  the  North  Sea, 

Storming  defiance  athwart  the  wild  Ocean? 

Why  do  ye  stir  yourselves,  O  ancient  sea-gods, 

Waking  in  ire  from  the  sleep  of  long  ages? 

Is  it  your  wrath  that  would  swallow  yon  frail  bark, 

Buffeted,  laboring,  torn  with  your  fury; 

Is  it  your  wailing  that  shrieks  through  the  rigging  ? 

Ah  'tis  too  late,  mighty  Jotiins,  ye  cannot 
Turn  back  these  Light-Bearers  fleeing  before  you; 
Vain,  wholly  vain,  O  great  Njord,  now  to  summon 
Those  ocean  vassals  that  erstwhile  did  serve  thee, 
Lord  of  the  wild  seas  and  ruler  of  tempests! 
Call  to  thee  Freyja,  thy  sister,  and  whither 
Flown   are  thy  Vanir,   the  Light-ejfs  that  served 
thee? 

14 


Summon  bold  Aegir,  fierce  Jotiin  of  sea-gales, 
Thor  with  his  lightnings  affrighting  the  heavens, 
Serpent  of  Midgard,  and  all  thy  strong  allies! 

Silence,  O  sea-gods,  be  silent  and  listen  — 
Vain  all  your  storming,  vain  all  your  clamor! 
Listen!     I  hear,  through  the  ravings  of  Ocean 
Sounding  a  ghostly,  a  mystical  murmur  — 
Ygdrasil  maketh  his  leaves  all  to  quiver, 
Ygdrasil  holy,  vast  Tree  of  Existence, 
Standing  deep-rooted  in  Death's  dark  abysses, 
Deep  in  the  gloom  of  the  kingdom  of  Hela. 
There  in  dread  silence  around  the  great  Ash  Tree, 
Quickening  his  gnarled  roots,  now  and  forever, 
With  the  deep  Sacred  Well's  life-giving  waters, 
Sit  the  three  Nornas  —  grim  fates  —  ever  spinning, 
Spinning  the  Present,  the  Past  and  the  Future. 

High  rears  the  Ash  Tree  his  proud  head  undying, 
The  races  his  branches,  his  boughs  are  the  nations, 
Under  his  vast  spread  the  whole  world  is  sheltered — 
All  the  world's  life  through  his  mystic  leaves  rust- 
ling. 

Balder  the  beautiful,  Balder  the  White  God, 
Hurt  by  the  mistletoe,  wounded  and  dying, 
Shed  a  warm  tear  of  compassion  for  all  men, 
Wept  on  the  roots  of  the  Ash  Tree,  and  forthwith 
Trembled  an  impulse,  a  thrilling,  a  budding! 
Lo,  from  his  vastness  a  new  bough  is  breaking  — 
Silence,  ye  sea-gods  and  offer  your  homage !  — 
Erelong  this  branch,  lusty,  budding,  will  blossom, 
Giant  in  embryo,  masterful,  valiant, 
Growing,  outspreading  to  distant  climes,  reaching 
Overland,  oversea  unto  a  New  World. 
Under  its  shelter  shall  gather  the  peoples, 
Hope  of  all  humankind,  foe  of  oppressors, 
Fairest  of  Ygdrasil's  branches,  fruit-laden, 
Healing  the  nations  with  Light  and  with  Freedom ! 

'5 


TOO  SOON  THE  LIGHT 

Blow,  night  winds,  blow  your  kindly,  mystic  veil 

Athwart  the  rift  made  by  the  Norseman's  prow; 

Let  Vineland  slumber  yet  awhile  in  peace, 

Lulled  by  her  guardian  ocean's  melodies. 

Hide  once  again  this  earthly  paradise, 

Whose  waters  flow  unvexed,  whose  limpid  streams 

Leap   in   sweet   Freedom's   haunts,   where   fearless 

drink 

All  her  wild  creatures,  in  her  love  secure ; 
Whose  forest  wilds,  untouched  by  the  woodman's 

axe, 

In  their  primeval  glory  undefiled, 
Murmur  their  joy  unto  caressing  winds. 
Too  soon  the  light!     The  world  is  moving  slow; 
These  shores  be  for  its  riper  heritage! 

RUMORS 

Rumors  of  mystic  lands  sought  by  the  Basque,  sought 

by  bold  seamen  from  Africa; 
Rumors  wild,  formless,  wraiths  of  the  night-wrack 

of  ocean. 

Rumors  of  land  to  the  westward, 
Rumors    from    Portugal,    rumors    from    Teneriffe, 

tales  of  St.  Brandan,  despair  of  brave  seamen; 
Isle  of  Borondon,  fair  vision  elusive,  world-famous, 

guarded  of  tempest  and  portent,  spell-bound, 

prison  of  giants; 
Rumors  weird,  flitting,  drifting,  flitting  from  Erin, 

drifting  to  Cambria; 
Tales  of  barbarous   Creeks  in  whose  veins   flows 

blood  of  old  Hellas; 
Rumors  of  wanderers  back  from  far-away  lands  of 

the  fierce  Tuscaroras  ; 
Rumors  of  Aztlan,  region  of  wonder,  vast,  vague, 

hid  in  the  mists  of  the  sunset  ; 
16 


Rumors  from  tongue  to  tongue,  telling  of  Madoc 
returned  from  his  cruising, 

Calling  for  followers  new,  again  to  follow  his  dar- 
ing! 

Ten  good  ships  on  the  shore,  ready  for  sailing  ; 

Prayers  to  the  Saint  all  said,  prayers  to  St.  Cyric: 

"  Cyric,  the  seaman's  friend,  guide  and  protect  us!  " 

"  Farewell,  O  Madoc,  and  a  long  farewell ! 
How  canst  thou  tear  thee  from  thy  native  land? 
The  breeze  is  up,  the  sails  begin  to  swell, 
The  Keels  impatient,  grate  upon  the  strand. 
Why  dost  thou  leave  me  here  to  die  alone? 
Canst  thou  not  stay  to  win  thy  father's  throne?  " 

"  Nay,  I  am  weary  of  this  petty  strife, 

I  long  for  freedom  and  the  sea's  large  life  ; 

I  long  to  feel  the  tugging  of  the  sail, 

To  wrestle  with  the  fury  of  the  gale ! 

Farewell,  O  father,  naught  shall  stay  my  quest, 

I  seek  new  glory  in  the  golden  west !  " 

Gazing  afar  at  the  sunset  over  the  waters, 
Day  by  day,  year  by  year  gazing,  waiting,  weeping ; 
Waiting  the  prince's  return  with  his  squadron ; 
Weeping,  peering  beyond  St.  David's  Head,  out  on 

the  ocean: 
"  Why  dost  thou  linger  so,  Madoc,  my  hero,  return- 

est  thou  never?  " 
Answer    the    echoes,    wafted    from    stony    crags: 

"Never!" 

THE  DARK  AGES 

Night  of  the  ages  lies  dark  on  Europa,  like  a  black 

pall. 
Dead  is  the  glory  of  Rome,  dead  fair  Greece,  dead 

their  civilization, 

Trampled  by  Christian  Visigoth,  Vandal,  and  Hun. 
Low  burns  the  light  on  the  altar ; 

17 

2 


The  muses  have  fled  for  asylum  to  shade  of  the 
cloister  ; 

Vast  with  portentous  recoil,  the  tide  of  the  ages  is 
ebbing. 

Cloud-swept  is  the  dial  of  time;  the  shadow  turns 
backward, 

Force  rules  the  nations  triumphant! 

Turmoil  and  struggle  unending,  for  feudal  do- 
minion ; 

Fredom  o'erpowered,  a  fugitive  seeking  a  refuge, 

Weight  of  oppression  hath  broken  the  heart  of  the 
people. 

Crieth  the  Spirit  of  Freedom:  "  Where  is  the  place 
of  my  rest?" 


COLUMBUS  AT  THE  CONVENT 

"  Diego,  in  those  sheltering  convent  walls 
Perchance  a  heart  of  pity  may  be  found 
Our  dire  distress  and  hunger  to  relieve. 
Come,  we  will  speak  to  yonder  man  of  God. 

"  O  Holy  Father,  in  compassion  feed 
Thy  servant  and  his  child  who  beg  for  bread 
And  rest  and  lodging  in  thy  sacred  walls! 
Foot-sore  and  weary  come  we  many  a  league, 
Outcast,  wayfarers,  and  disconsolate. 
All  saints  defend  thy  gates  forevermore !  " 

"  Enter,  my  children,  rest  ye  here  in  peace, 
Let  food  and  kindly  sleep  your  strength  renew; 
Tomorrow  shall  ye  tell  me  of  your  quest." 

"  Come,  Angel  Sleep,  come,  Angel  Sleep, 

And  kiss  mine  eyelids  to  repose; 
Thy  gentle  watch  above  me  keep, 

Till  I  forget  my  woes, 

My  weariness  and  woes. 

18 


"  Spread  now  thy  soothing  ivings  abroad, 
Beneath  their  shadow  pain  shall  cease; 

To  all  the  weary  rest  accord, 
And  wrap  the  world  in  peace, 
The  slumbering  world  in  peace" 

"  The  night  is  past,  Diego,  let  us  find 
The  venerable  Prior,  wish  him  joy 
Upon  this  dewy  morn,  and  tell  our  tale : 
For  he  hath  bid  us  tell  him  of  ourselves. 

"  Father,  thou  askest  what  and  whence  I  am, 
And  whither  I  go  hence :     I  am  a  man 
Like  to  thyself,  on  meditation  bent, 
A  seaman  and  chartographer  am  I 
Who  long  have  limned  the  face  of  earth  and  sea, 
And,  limning,  dreamed  of  lands  beyond  our  ken, 
Vast  lands  and  ponderous,  of  old  create 
To  balance  these  whereon  our  nations  dwell, 
Holding  the  wheeling  earth  in  equipoise. 
O  venerable  Prior,  I  would  seek 
Those  unknown  regions,  thither  bear  the  Cross 
Before  whose  holy  shrine  thou  ,worshipest 
And  with  new  gems  enrich  the  crown  of  Spain. 
But  Spain  rejecting  me,  to  France  I  turn. 
Most  Holy  Father,  Juan  de  Marchena, 
Thou  knowest  Isabella;  wert  not  erst 
Confessor  to  our  queen?     Do  thou,  I  pray, 
Implore  her  majesty  to  espouse  my  cause. 
So  shalt  thou  bring  the  blessing  of  all  time, 
And  fame  upon  Maria  de  Rabina!  " 

"  My  son,  thy  sojourn  here  hath  wrought  a  blessing, 

Yea,  I  do  love  thee  for  the  high  emprise 

Sprung  from  thy  vision,  piercing  worlds  unknown, 

And  for  the  grandeur  of  thy  dauntless  soul. 

Abide  our  guest,  thou  and  Diego  tarry 

Here  in  these  cloisters  while  I  speed  afar 

19 


Upon  my  swift-paced  mule  to  Santa  Fe, 

Where  the  king's  arms  have  driven  the  hated  Moor 

To  bay,  pent  in  the  stronghold  of  Granada. 

Rest  while  I  plead  thy  cause  before  the  throne  ; 

I  shall  away  before  another  dawn. 

I  know  the  gracious  heart  of  Isabella, 

Noblest  of  women,  angel  of  her  peopie, 

Protector  of  religion  and  of  learning  ; 

She  be  thy  guardian  saint  of  realms  unknown. 

I  will  prepare  thy  way ;  abide  thou  here !  " 

FALL  OF  GRANADA 

"Long  live  the  King,  our  Sovereign  Liege; 

Death,  death  to  Boabdil; 
We  strangle  the  Mior  with  our  tightening  Siege; 

Now,  Vengeance,  drink  thy  fill! 

The  haughty  Saracen  reels  at  the  blow 

Of  the  sword  of  Ferdinand; 
A  suppliant  he  in  the  dust  kneels  low, 

Granada's  keys  in  his  hand. 

"High  on  Alhambra  the  Cross  shall  wave, 

And  the  hated  Crescent  wane; 
Stoop,  Lord,  Hispania  now  to  save, 

Cure  thou  her  age-long  pain. 

The  infidel  boast  availeth  naught, 

Te  Deums  waft  our  praise; 
A  mighty  deed  our  God  hath  wrought, 

Our  banners  proud  we  raise." 

THE  KING  SUMMONS  COLUMBUS 

"  Who  is  this  dreamer  that,  with  eyes  uplift, 
Haunting  the  camp  with  lofty  unconcern, 
Disdains  our  triumph  as  a  thing  too  small 
For  his  high  contemplation?     Let  him  speak!  " 

20 


COLUMBUS   BEFORE  FERDINAND  AND 
ISABELLA 

"  Give  me  three  ships,  my  Liege,  and  I  will  lay 
My  westering  course  on  lone  Atlantic's  waste, 
Adown  the  curving  bosom  of  the  deep, 
Where  never  keel  hath  dared  to  plough  before, 
Where  lost  Atlantis  slumbers  'neath  the  main  ; 
Search  for  Antilla  and  Cypango's  isle, 
Breathing  of  spice-groves,  flashing  with  gems  un- 
told ; 

Thy  greetings  will  I  bear  to  India's  Lord  — 
Throned  amid  splendors  of  the  Orient, 
Heir  to  the  teeming  realms  of  Kubla  Khan 
Aflame  with  domes  and  palaces  of  gold  — 
And  bring  thee  wealth  and  fame  from  far  Cathay! 

"  Not  mountain  billow,  no,  nor  typhoon's  rage, 

Nor  deadly  sun  of  equatorial  zone; 

Not  fabled  monster,  nor  abysmal  chasm, 

Nor  Gorgon's  writhing  hair  shall  fright  my  soul, 

Nor  witching  syren  lure  me  from  my  course. 

"  Earth's  round  with  four-and-twenty  hours  is  girt 
Whereof  to  man  but  eight  be  still  unknown. 
These  would  I  fain  explore  for  thy  renown, 
O  Sire,  and  seek  that  bourne  whence  to  our  strand 
Have  drifted  curious  flotsam,  graven  wands, 
And  giant  reeds,  and  trees  unnamed  of  men; 
Yea,  the  strange-visaged  corse,  of  alien  race, 
Dumb  lips  beseeching  me,  to  seek  his  kin. 

"  The  holy  prophets  have  foretold  the  ends 
Of  all  the  earth  together  shall  be  brought, 
And  me  to  this  high  mission  Heaven  hath  called, 
All  nations  to  unite,  and  every  tongue, 
Beneath  the  banner  of  the  world's  Redeemer, 
That  Mother  Church  may  blessing  bring  to  all. 
Most  gracious  King,  bestow  the  boon  I  crave ! 
Behold  Columbus  at  thy  footstool  kneel; 

21 


To  explore  the  vast  unknown  I  would  be  gone. 
For  ever  westward  rove  the  thoughts  of  men, 
Since  brave  Ulysses  sought  the  Happy  Isles 
Beyond  the  regions  of  the  setting  sun. 
I  would  be  Admiral  of  all  the  seas 
And  Viceroy  of  all  lands  I  find  for  thee, 
And  I  would  tithe  all  gains  that  there  be  made, 
And,  with  the  golden  tribute  of  those  lands, 
Wrest  from  the  Turk  the  Holy  Sepulchre, 
By  Moslem  dog  and  Paynim  long  defiled. 
I  cannot  stoop  to  meaner  thoughts  or  things ; 
'Tis  worlds  I  bargain  for,  not  paltry  spoils! 
Be  thou  my  judge,  I  will  have  nothing  less." 

"Courtiers,  this  sailor  is  beside  himself!" 

"  Wilt  thou  too  spurn,  me,  gracious  Isabella? 
I  know  thou  lovest  all  things  high  and  noble, 
Canst  thou  not  see  the  hand  of  God  in  this?  " 

"Arise,  Christophoro,  thou  shalt  yet  rule, 

Viceroy  and  Admiral  of  Ocean  Seas! 

I  do  behold  the  finger  of  the  Lord 

Pointing  the  way  unto  the  hidden  West, 

Shrouded  so  long  in  cloud  and  mystery. 

Thy  cause  be  mine,  be  mine  the  joy  to  give 

Unto  the  heathen  light,  to  Spain  new  glory ! 

I,  from  my  head,  my  arms,  my  breast  will  strip 

The  jewels  that  adorned  me  when  I  came 

Unto  my  Lord,  a  bride  from  fair  Castile. 

These  will  I  pledge,  before  high  Heaven,  and  Spain, 

To  help  thee  bring  to  pass  thy  soul's  desire  — 

Arise  in  haste  and  get. thee  to  the  sea!  " 

BATTLE  OF  THE  WINDS 

"  Rally,  rally,  rally  to  the  rescue; 
Blow,  ye  winds  of  heaven,  blow  your  trumpets! 
Storm  and  ocean-tempest,  lead  your  forces! 
22 


Who  is  this  that  dares  invade  our  ocean? 

Who  is  this  that  cometh  to  dethrone  us; 

Wresting  from  us  our  long  guarded-secret? 

Smite  him,  Eurus,  blast  him  with  thine  East  Winds ! 

Auster,  blow  thy  withering  South  upon  him! 

Zephyrus,  from  out  the  western  glooming, 

Hasten  to  defend  thy  natal  fastness; 

Drive  him  back  again  into  the  dawning! 

Boreas,  offspring  stormy  of  Aurora, 

Hail  thy  savage  cohorts  to  the  battle, 

Pour  thy  frosts  and  cold  upon  him,  North  Wind. 

Loose  your  hurricanes;  let  whirlwinds  thwart  him; 

Let  him  reel  and  fly  before  your  onset ! 

Hither  launch  your  thunders  and  your  lightnings, 

Peal  on  peal  of  terror  seaward  hurling, 

Till  ye  daunt  the  invader's  heart  of  daring, 

On  our  awful  solitudes  intruding. 

Rally,  rally!     Bring  your  strong  protection 

To  the  Secret  of  the  West,  long  hidden. 

O  ye  wild  waves,  crush  this  bold  invader; 

Wreck  this  puny  cockle  shell,  ye  tempests, 

Let  him  sink  in  fathomless  abysses! 

Let  his  flaunting  sails  be  rent  and  scattered, 

Let  the  sporting  sea-birds  tear  and  mock  them! 

He  would  harness  you,  ye  mighty  sea- winds, 

He  would  have  you  bear  him  where  he  listeth, 

He  would  bind  and  drive  you  as  his  vassals. 

Dost  thou,  Eurus,  fill  his  sails?     O  recreant! 

Wilt  thou  help  him  find  his  way  to  sunset? 

Zephyrus,  why  art  thou  yielding  to  him? 

Eurus,  Zephyrus,  will  ye  betray  me, 

And  reveal  the  Mystery  of  the  Ages? 

COLUMBUS  MET  BY  LITTLE  BIRDS 

Ye  merry  birds  that  seek  the  shore 
Where  softly  sways  your  leafy  nest, 

A  hero's  toil  will  soon  be  o'er, 
The  hero  of  a  mighty  quest. 

23 


In  dreams  he  saw  a  world  unknown  — 
Sing,  merry  birds,  your  welcome  sing  — 

Cheer  the  brave  heart  whose  faith  alone 
A  new-found  world  to  light  shall  bring! 

Pause  as  ye  circle  round  his  mast  — 
Sing,  merry  birds,  his  heart  to  cheer  — 

Sing  that  his  fame  will  ever  last, 

And  whisper  that  the  land  is  near! 

AVE  REGINA 

"Ave  Regina  "  the  sailors  sang, 

And  each  man  bent  the  knee; 
"  Ora  Pro  Nobis  "  tuneful  rang, 

As  night  fell  on  the  sea. 

Then  thought  they  of  Andalusian  days 

And,  lost  on  the  desolate  main, 
Their  husky  voices  tried  to  raise 

The  even-song  again. 

Then  swept  their  hearts  a  fierce  desire 

The  caravel  to  seize; 
Mutiny  set  their  souls  on  fire, 

As  they  prayed  upon  their  knees. 

"  To  quarters  all,"  the  Admiral  said, 
"  The  morrow  shall  show  us  land !  " 

Each  sullen  sailor  hung  his  head, 
Nor  dared  to  raise  a  hand. 

Stern  through  his  watch  the  commander  strode, 

The  brave  stars  overhead, 
While  Santa  Maria  the  billows  rode, 

And  into  the  darkness  sped. 

Heavy  the  load  on  the  sad,  lone  heart, 

As  he  paced  the  castle  deck; 
How  soon  would  treachery  play  its  part?  — 

"Ha!     What  is  yon  glimmering  speck? 
24 


"  Ho,  Don  Pedro!     See'st  a  light? 

Rodrigo !     Dost  thou  see 
How  strange  it  flashes  in  the  night? 

What  think  ye  may  it  be?  " 

Signing  themselves  with  the  Holy  Cross, 
They  cried:     "  Thou  may'st  be  sure 

To  curse  our  good  ship  with  dire  loss 
Some  demon-eye  doth  lure!  " 

"  Nay,  by  the  Rood !     O'er  these  chartless  waves 

To  glory  my  pennon  flies; 
The  Queen  of  Heaven  hears  and  saves  — 

Land,  land  in  the  offing  lies!  " 

O,  nameless  savage,  thou  didst  not  know, 
When  thy  torch  gleamed  out  on  the  night, 

That  a  highway  to  Freedom  its  flame  would  show, 
And  lead  the  world  to  its  light! 

NATIVES'  SONG  OF  WELCOME  TO 
COLUMBUS 

ff  Lo,  from  the  heavens  immortals  descending. 
Borne  upon  clouds,  with  white  wings  outspread; 

Flock  to  the  seashore,  their  pleasure  attending, 
Bring  the  cassava  and  offer  them  bread! 

Bow  we  in  homage;  the  gods  are  bestowing 
Favors  upon  us,  poor  children  of  earth; 

Man  the  canoe  where  the  bright  waves  are  flowing, 
Welcome  the  stranger  with  singing  and  mirth!  " 

LANDING  OF  COLUMBUS 

Wave,  wave,  ye  palms  of  peace,  your  welcome  wave 
To  banners  of  Castile  and  Aragon, 
Behold  Columbus,  kneeling,  kiss  the  soil; 
In  scarlet  robed,  in  panoply  of  mail, 

25 


'Mid  steel-clad  retinue  bent  low  in  prayer! 
Thrill,   Earth!     What  blushing  maiden  e'er  hath 

felt 

More  rapturous  kiss  of  passionate  lover's  lips? 
Ye    heavens,    rejoice!     Before    what    shrine    hath 

knelt 
More  pious  pilgrim,  glad  his  soul  to  shrive? 


EARTHLY  PARADISE 

Here  let  him  bathe  his  toil  in  summer  seas 
Of  joy,  where  all  the  air  is  sweet  with  breath 
Of  flowers  innumerous;  where  all  the  isles 
Join  in  the  chorus  of  their  happy  birds, 
Tuneful  amid  the  branches  that  bend  low 
To  kiss  the  waters  of  the  crystal  sea. 
From  isle  to  isle  soft  may  his  latine  sails 
Float  on  the  balmy  airs  that  breathe  of  peace  — 
Like  birds  of  paradise  awing  for  home. 
Peace,  troubled  soul,  here  rest  awhile  in  peace, 
And  sate  desire  with  fruits  ambrosial! 
Fold  here  thy  pinions  ere  thou  fly  again 
To  seek  that  wonderland  upon  whose  bourne 
These  islands,  nestling,  wait  to  welcome  thee! 


ERE  SHADOWS  FALL 

Ye  verdant  islands  of  the  sunlit  zone, 

Through  storm  and  stress  your  lover  seeks  his  own. 

Of  you  he  dreamed,  for  you  his  tireless  quest; 

Smile  on  him  now,  ye  Islands  of  the  Blest! 

The  bitter  days  will  come,  they  come  to  all, 

Joy  with  your  lover,  ere  the  shadows  fall ! 

Ye  are  the  portals  of  great  things  to  be, 

Still  silent  sleeps  the  Ancient  Mystery. 

26 


THE  ADMIRAL'S  RETURN 

Hail,  Sea-lord!     Homeward  turn, 
A  thousand  beacons  burn 

To  welcome  thee! 
Hispania's  monarch  waits 
To  greet,  with  open  gates, 

Thy  victory. 

Ring  loud,  oh  trump  of  fame, 
To  herald  far  his  name 

Through  all  the  land! 
Man's  helm  hath  found  a  path, 
Through  unknown  Ocean's  wrath, 

In  his  strong  hand. 

Awed  sea-gods,  moaning,  fled 
As  onward,  onward  led 

His  dauntless  soul; 
Strange  terrors  could  not  stay 
The  hero  on  his  way 

To  the  far  goal. 

Should  Eurus  alway  blow, 
How  could  they  homeward  go, 

Or  e'er  return? 
Anon  the  horrid  calm 
Fell  with  its  vague  alarm, 

Their  sails  to  spurn. 

How  should  they  ever  pass 
The  frightful  sea-morass 

That  closed  their  way? 
Should  here  their  lone  keels  ground 
On  sunken  hills,  where  drowned 

Atlantis  lay? 

And  while  the  fearful  quailed, 
Still  westward,  westward  sailed 
His  caravel. 

27 


Though  floods  and  tempests  roared 
Yet  high  his  spirit  soared 
Above  their  spell. 

A  golden  bourne  he  found  — 
Sing  bards!     The  story  sound 

Through  all  the  world! 
In  realms  beyond  the  sea 
Our  sovereign  majesty 

Proud  he  unfurled. 

The  captive  hither  borne, 
His  triumph  to  adorn 

New  wonder  lends. 
A  strange  light  and  sublime  — 
Day-spring  of  coming  time  — 

Its  foregleam  sends. 

Hope's  guidon  thou  shalt  be! 
The  hosts  of  liberty; 

That  follow  on, 
Shall  ever  chant  thy  fame; 
Thou  hast  a  deathless  name, 

Unknowing,  won! 

Sing,  clarion,  soar  and  sing! 
Enthroned  beside  the  King, 

With  glory  crowned, 
He  royal  robes  doth  wear, 
And  with  his  Liege  doth  share 

Homage  profound. 

Strong  champion  of  the  Cross, 
Preserve  the  Church  from  loss, 

Her  shrines  defend! 
Mother,  thy  blessing  give, 
Long  may  thy  great  son  live, 

Thy  sway  to  extend! 

28 


INTO  THE  DARKNESS 
Avert  thy  face,  O  Heaven !     O,  Gratitude, 

Where  canst  thou  hide  thy  blushes  and  thy  tears? 
O  Fame,  how  soon  doth  change  thy  fickle  mood  — 

At  dying  Glory  mocking  Envy  jeers! 

COLUMBUS  IN  PRISON 

"  Of  what  avail,  of  what  avail 
To  tell  these  stones  the  cruel  tale 
Of  woes  that  have  my  spirit  broke, 
Since  from  youth's  vision  I  awoke? 

"  By  church  and  king  deserted,  here 
I  rust  in  chains,  with  none  to  cheer. 
For  Spain  untraversed  seas  I  tried  — 
Their  terrors  vast,  their  floods  defied. 

"  I  thought  to  bring  her  wealth  and  fame, 
And  glorify  my  country's  name  ; 
I  thought  all  nations  to  unite 
In  homage  to  the  Church's  might. 

(Monks,    in    a    near-by    monastery,    chanting: 
Miserere  nostri  Domine,  miserere  nostri:) 

'Twas  mine  to  seek  earth's  farthest  bound, 
Long  hidden  mysteries  to  sound ; 
That  Science  might  proud  victor  be 
O'er  ancient  phantasms  of  the  sea. 

"  But  foes  have  sullied  my  fair  name 
With  fell  dishonor;  open  shame 
Hath  Bobadilla's  venom  wrought, 
And  me  to  this  foul  dungeon  brought 

"  How  didst  thou,  Espinosa,  dare 
To  forge  the  fetters  that  I  wear? 
How  didst  thou,  traitor,  with  delight 
Mock  thine  unhappy  master's  plight! 

29 


"  I  hear  the  rabble  in  the  street, 
The  eager  tramp  of  hurried  feet; 
I  hear  the  cry  of  blood,  and  fear 
The  end  is  swiftly  drawing  near. 

(Quia  multum  repleti  sumus  despectione:  Quid 
multum  repleta  est  anima  nostra:  Opprobrium 
abundantibus ,  et  despectio  superbis.) 

"  The  cell  is  dark  and  damp  and  cold, 
My  life  is  spent,  my  years  are  told ; 
Too  well  hath  Envy  done  her  part, 
Her  cruel  blow  hath  pierced  my  heart ! 

"  Sore  anguish  chokes  my  labored  breath, 
Come  set  me  free,  O  kindly  Death!  — 
Ah,  'twas  a  dream  of  glory  high  ; 
Forgive,  ye  saints,  my  bitter  cry!  " 

BLOW  TROPIC  WINDS 

Blow,  blow,  ye  tropic  winds!     Tell  all  the  earth 
Kind  Heaven  hath  crowned  him  with  greater  fame 
Than  King,  or  Church,  or  Indies  could  bestow! 
His  be  the  glory  of  the  man  who  holds, 
Unmoved,  to  his  ideal  brave  and  high, 
And  will  not  swerve  until  the  goal  be  won ! 
Ye  coming  generations,  laud  his  name! 
For  unborn  peoples  hath  he  found  a  home, 
For  sacred  Freedom  an  abiding  place! 


Chant  for  the  Children  of  Mystery 


CHANT  FOR  THE  CHILDREN  OF 
MYSTERY 


Esquimo,  igloo,  kayak  and  totem  — 

Vanguard    of   humankind    fringing   earth's   mighty 

dome,  shadowed  with  wonder, 
Soaring  majestic,  inviolate,  unto  the  Pole  Star  up- 
bearing 
Through  the  slow,  year-long  day  the  goal  of  man's 

dauntless  endeavor; 
Mound-builder,   sleeping   'neath   mouldering  circle 

and  serpent  and  fortress, 
Heedless  that  over  him  rolls  the  vast  tide  of  the 

white  man,  billowing  over  his  dreaming; 
Sacred  bird  flying,  ah  whither  I  know  not,  out  of 

the  ages  unknown  and  forgotten  — 
Cycles   when    lorded    the   mastodon,    earth-shaker, 

over  the  jungle,  trumpeting  terror  — 
Serpent  insatiate,  unriddled  emblems,  what  did  ye 

mean  to  my  brother  who  dreameth? 
Guard  ye  with  honor  his  rude  mausoleum,  silent  and 

stately  ; 
Soon,  ah  so  soon,  shall  we  also  be  sleeping ! 

Mohawk,  Mohegan,  Algonquin  and  Iroquois,  Semi- 
nole,  Cherokee, 

Children  of  nature,  roaming  the  wilderness,  awed 
by  the  Manitou,  and  the  Great  Spirit; 

Cliff-dweller  high  in  his  fastness,  entrenched  amid 
rock-blazoned  bulwarks  barbaric  with  her- 
aldry, folk  lore  and  story  ; 

Zuni  in  terrace  and  ••  iva,.  skilled  potter,  deft  weaver 
of  basketry,  tiller  of  maize  lands  communal  ; 

Snake-dancing  Hopi,  intrepid,  imploring,  crying  for 
rain!  rain!  through  favor  of  earth-gods  on 
harvest  —  reptile-borne,  dark,  subterranean 
message; 

33 


Cruel  Apache,   fierce   Navaho,   foemen   in   ambush 

near  lurking  — 
Whence  came  ye  hither,  whence  came  ye  hither  with 

war-dance     and     calumet,     wigwam     and 


wampum  ? 


Mighty  Anahuac,  proud  Montezuma's  dominion 
rising  through  zone  upon  zone  to  ice- 
wrapped  Cordillera; 

Toltec  and  Aztec  and  Tlascan  and  famed  Seven 
Cities,  hoary  with  mystery,  wondrous  in  le- 
gend, turret  and  tower  far-gleaming, 

Deluged  with  blood  of  the  dread  human  sacrifice, 
flowing  from  altars  of  terrible  Huitzilo- 
potchli ; 

War-god  insatiate,  ghastly  teocallis  stored  with  his 
trophies ; 

Tenochtitlan,  fair  queen,  encircled  of  waters,  em- 
bosomed of  grove-bowered  Tezcuco, 

Mother  of  chinampas,  floating  isles  —  wind-wafted 
—  threaded  by  causeway ; 

Yucatan  temple  with  sculpture  weird  graven, 
adorned  with  mosaic; 

Mitla,  Uxmal,  and  Copan,  Mayapan  and  vast 
Palenque : 

Pyramid,  obelisk,  casa  and  archway  flaming  — 'neath 
forests  gigantic,  age-grown  —  gorgeous  with 
color ; 

Quippu,  deft  woven  Peruvian  lore  intertwined, 
thick-knotted  with  sacred  tradition; 

Threaded  the  empire  with  highway  and  tunnel  and 
osier-bridge  gracefully  leaping  the  gorges; 

Myriad  on  myriad  of  swarming  folk  delving,  mining 
and  tilling  the  lowland  and  hillside,  feeding 
the  llama-flock  high  on  the  mountain ; 

Fane  of  the  sun-god,  the  mighty  Creator,  the  great 
Pachacamac, 

Shining  where  Cuzco  salutes  the  first  sunbeam, 

34 


Blazing  with  tablet  and  cornice  and  golden  gate 
gleaming  afar  o'er  the  realm  of  the  Inca; 

Great  Atahualpa,  Lord  of  the  Rainbow,  high  Son 
of  the  Deity,  blinding  his  captors  with  treas- 
ure undreamed  of, 

Borne  over  highway  and  valley  ewer  and  goblet 
and  salver,  with  lily  and  golden  maize 
wrought  by  the  goldsmith 

Piled  in  his  dungeon  as  high  as  the  reach  of  the 
pitiful  captive  — 

Ransom  imperial,  hurried  on  shoulders  to  save  their 
loved  sovereign; 

Treasure  on  treasure  and  gold,  gold,  gold,  till  the 
conqueror  reels  and  grows  dizzy! 

Whence  poured  these  human  waves  down  through 

the  ages? 

Down  from  the  rocky  heights,  thousand  lakes,  thou- 
sand isles,  forests  unending; 
Down  from  the  White  Hills  where  Horicon  smiles 

on  the  edge  of  the  wilderness; 
Flowing,    rejoicing    in    sunlight,    where    Hudson, 

triumphant   with   tribute   full-laden,    glides 

down  to  the  welcoming  sea, 

Past  proud  Palisades  lifting  paeans  of  praise  to  Lib- 
erty's name,  blown  from  vast  organ-toned 

bastion  and  cliff  — 
Alleghany   and    Everglade   wafting   their   odorous 

greeting ; 
Flowing  where  Mount  St.  Elias  and  Shasta  look 

down  from  their  glories,  high  throned  upon 

glaciers ; 
Surging    through    canons,    through    light-crowned 

Sierras,  through  ridges  of  Rockies; 
South  from  the  lakes,  flooding  prairies  adown  to  the 

gulf,   through   the  vales  of  the   Father  of 

Waters  ; 

35 


Laving  the  feet  of  the  thunderer,  fiery  Popocatapetl, 

Ebbing  and  flowing  by  turns  amid  the  white  Cordil- 
leras; 

Scaling  the  Andes  —  watched  by  the  eagle  and  slow- 
circling  condor  — 

Cotopaxi,  Earth-shaker,  his  feet  upon  clouds,  his 
flames  heaven  affrighting; 

Swirling  and  lost  where  broad  Amazon  rolls  her 
vast  floods  to  the  ocean  — 

Say,  from  what  morning  of  time  did  ye  come,  oh  ye 
Children  of  Mystery? 

Winds  of  the  North,  blowing  from  ice-floe,  from 

lake  and  from  forest  ; 
Winds  of  the  East  and  West,  breath  of  Atlantic 

and  breath  of  Pacific, 
Meeting,   embracing  and   wafting  your  love-kisses 

over  the  wheat-land  and  orchard  and  prairie  ; 
Winds  of  the  South,  blowing  fragrance  of  orange, 

of  jasmine,  breathing  of  Cherokee  roses  — 
Tell   me   your   mystic   lore,   whisper   the   splendid 

secret ! 

Surely  ye  saw  them  arriving  and  living  and  hunting 

and  tilling; 
Saw  them  from  age  to  age  warring  and  building 

and  toiling  and  dying  — 
Tell  me!     I   listen,   and  softly  the  sighing  winds 

murmur:        'Tis  Hidden!" 

Your    farewells   whisper,    ye   giant    sequoias!     Ye 

dwelt  with  them,  sheltered  them  thousands 

of  summers. 
Whisper  ye  pines  and  ye  live-oaks  that  fringe  the 

Atlantic,  mingle  your  farewells  with  dirges 

of  ocean ! 

36 


Ye  fair  fronded  palms,  cocobolo,  mahogany,   rose- 
wood,   trailing    gigantic    vines,    draping    your 
scarlet,    entangled   and   climbing   to   sun- 
light above  the  dark  tropical  forest  — 
orchid  and  butterfly  gleaming  and 
flashing  —  murmur    a     requiem 
solemn  and  slow  for  the  dead 
of   the   ages  unknown  and 
unnumbered ! 


37 


Coming  of  the  Nations 


39 


Coming  of  the  Nations 


FREEDOM  ENTHRONED 

Throned  on  a  lofty  height  that  heavenward  rose, 

Whence  through  a  thousand  leagues  of  wide  domain 

Missouri  and  great  Mississippi  flowed, 

And  Hudson  greeted  first  the  morning  light 

That  gilds  the  ramparts  of  his  Palisades 

And  turrets  of  the  world's  metropolis, 

Proud  Freedom  sat,  midway  her  continent. 

Upon  her  right  the  Rocky  Mountains  loomed 

From  where  Alaskan  glaciers  mourn  the  sun 

To  the  white  Andes  towering  in  glory, 

As  body-guard  protecting  her,  unmoved 

By  threat  of  danger  and  the  westering  night. 

Range  upon  range  their  monstrous  serried  ranks, 

Marshaled  from  frozen  north  to  tropic  zone, 

Saluted  her  along  the  Pacific  shores, 

Uplift  supreme  of  the  vast  hemisphere, 

Parting  the  waters  unto  either  ocean, 

Cloven  with  gorgeous  canons,  awe-compelling, 

Lifting  their  granite  crests  high  heaven  to  uphold. 

Upon  her  left  the  Alleghanies  sloped 

Athwart  the  populous  East  to  Atlantic  wastes. 

There   from   New   England's   hallowed   hills,    her 

praise 

Wafted  sweet  incense  to  her  mighty  dead. 
Far-rolling  vale  and  sun-lit  plain  lay  flecked 
With   somber   cloud-drifts   where   the   cities   mur- 
mured. 

Midway  outstretched,  shone  waving  fields  of  plenty, 
The  teeming  myraids  of  earth  to  feed, 
And  vast  maize-legions  marched  across  the  land 
To  pour  their  golden  splendor  at  her  feet. 


interminable  forests  at  her  back 

Sang  ever  in  her  praise  their  paeans  wild, 

The  free  birds  echoing  them  from  tree  to  tree, 

And  wild  deer  roamed  along  the  rivulets, 

Joyously  bounding  as  the  waters  did. 

Soft  on  her  ear  the  voice  of  her  great  lakes 

Rose  in  the  anthems  of  Niagara. 

Before  her  lay  the  broad  and  sunny  home 
Of  jasmine,  and  live-oak  with  moss-plumes  wreathed. 
These  odorous  groves  of  orange-bloom  and  gold, 
These  sun-warmed  fields  covered  with  snowy  bolls^ 
Arrayed  as  with  a  bridal  garment  fair,  — 
Smiled  on  the  amorous  waters  of  the  Gulf; 
While  east  and  west  in  deep  antiphonal, 
Two  mighty  oceans  sang  each  to  its  shore, 
The  song  that  celebrated  Freedom's  name. 

A  presence  of  majestic  mien  she  sat, 
Clothed  all  with  light  which  issued  from  her  form  — 
A  form  of  rare,  ethereal  tissue  wrought  — 
Enrobing  her  in  folds  of  radiance, 
And  the  unearthly  splendor,  shining  forth, 
Illuminated  whereso'er  it  fell. 
There  safe  her  people  dwelt  in  liberty; 
America  was  free  from  every  foe. 
And  in  the  luminous  tide  which  from  her  flowed, 
Men's  souls  found  inspiration  to  unfold 
To  nobler  manhood  and  more  fair  attaining. 
How  bright  the  sun  shone  there !     All  living  things 
Had  fuller  joy  beneath  great  Freedom's  gaze. 
For  she  nor  crushed  nor  marred  as  one  enthroned 
On  broken  hearts  and  hopes  of  conquered  peoples, 
But,  rather,  brooded  as  a  mother-bird 
Nurtures  her  fledgling  young  with  gentle  breast. 
A  glowing  halo,  circling  her  fair  head, 
Shot  forth  far-searching  rays  through  all  the  earth, 
Piercing  the  age-long  shadows  of  despair. 
Her  face  —  ah,  what  a  look  of  love  it  bore 
42 


For  the  downtrodden  of  every  name  and  clime, 
Lightening  with  hope  her  new-found  hemisphere. 

And  when  she  heard  the  cry  of  the  oppressed 

Wafted  across  her  mighty  ocean-moats, 

Her  breast  heaved,  her  nostrils  gasped  for  breath, 

A  fierce  light  blazed  in  her  dilating  eyes, 

Born  of  heroic  struggles  of  the  past  — 

Thermopylae  and  Marathon,  strong  Rome 

By  Maccabeans  defied,  the  Saracen 

Crushed  by  the  Hammer  on  the  field  of  Tours; 

Sempach  and  Leyden,  Naseby,  Bannockburn; 

The  throes  of  France  uprisen,  and  Bunker  Hill  — 

Her  hand,  unconscious,  sought  her  eager  sword, 

While    visions    of    world-wide    empire    rose    and 

beckoned, 

Bidding  her  show  her  might  in  distant  lands 
Which  by  th'  Eternal's  mandate  she  shpuld  guard. 

A  WARNING  VOICE 

And  then  from  heaven  there  spoke  a  Voice  divine : 

"  Behold,  O  Freedom,  how  the  nations  come 

To  thee  for  consolation  and  enlargement ; 

Room  do  they  crave  within  thy  borders  wide. 

Be  thou  their  guardian  angel ;  thee  I  chose 

To  hearten  these  my  children,  to  defend 

And  lead  them  with  thy  light.     Put  up  thy  sword  ; 

Too  feeble  for  this  fight  thine  ancient  arms! 

Behold,  earth's  multitudes  are  flocking  hither; 

For  these  must  thou  a  mightier  weapon  wield. 

Their  foes  are  powers  of  darkness,  give  them  light! 

I  charge  thee,  Freedom,  give  them  light  for  growth 

Of  godlike  germs,  implanted  by  my  hand 

In  every  soul  of  man.     Let  the  past  die ! 

If  thou  do  lust  for  conquest,  thou  shalt  die  — 

In  that  polluted  air  thou  may'st  not  breathe, 

'Tis  dank  with  blood  of  earth's  unnumbered  slain; 

43 


Murky  with  pillage,  rapine  and  despair  — • 

Let  the  past  die,   tear-stained   and   drenched   with 

blood! 

In  this  fair  realm  all  races  meet,  do  thou 
Kindle  new  light  with  thy  clear  shining,  lead 
To  loftier  heights  than  man  hath  elsewhere  scaled 
Lead  on,  O  Freedom,  to  the  heights  of  God ! 

The  people  look  to  thee  with  longing.     Hark! 
Dost  thou  not  hear  the  burden  of  their  song 
Rising  from  smoke-plumed  city  and  verdant  plain, 
Like  to  the  voice  of  many  waters,  chorals 
Sounding  in  divers  tongues  of  alien  tone, 
Blending  in  unison  magnificent?" 


While,  with  rapt  longing,  gracious  Freedom  bent, 
Eager  with  love,  to  catch  the  swelling  tones  — 
Wave  upon  wave  of  wind-blown  melody  — 
Lo,  from  the  innumerous  voices  intertwined, 
There  rose  the  plaint  of  immemorial  pain! 


SONG  OF  THE  HEBREWS 

Jerusalem,  Jerusalem, 

For  thee  my  spirit  sighs; 
Accurs'd  is  earth's  fair  diadem, 

In  dust  thy  glory  lies. 

Bereft  of  country  and  of  home, 
Thy  children  sad  and  weak, 

From  land  to  land  in  exile  roamt 
For  rest  and  safety  seek. 

We  heard  the  calling  of  the  West 

Across  the  troubled  sea, 
And,  wounded  sore,  for  peace  and  rest, 

O  Freedom,  fled  to  thee. 

44 


Lo,  Israel  seeks  thy  promised  land, 

Led  hither  of  the  Lord; 
Give  welcome  to  our  weary  band, 

Protect  us  from  the  sword! 

Jerusalem,  thy  children  lone 
A  refuge  strong  have  found; 

Again  Jehovah's  guidance  own, 
Again  His  praises  sound! 

Perchance  the  Lord  will  bless  us  here, 
Who  grief  so  long  have  known; 

Till  He  in  Zion  shall  appear 
And  claim  us  for  His  own. 

And  then  a  strain  of  blither  mood  was  heard, 
Breathed  from  the  land  of  Dante  and  of  Petrarch 


SONG  OF  THE  ITALIANS 

Goddess,  all  hail  to  thee, 
Goddess,  all  hail  to  theef 

Dream  of  the  ages, 

Poets  and  sages; 
Over  the  tossing  wave, 
Eager  and  strong  and  brave, 

We  have  hither  sped  to  meet  thee, 

Joyous,  we  greet  thee! 

Freedom,  we  prayed  for  thee, 
Freedom,  we  prayed  for  thee: 

"  Hear,  Queen  of  Heaven,  hear, 

Bow  down  thy  gracious  ear"  — 
Lo,  Garibaldi  came; 
Taught  us  thy  deathless  name; 

Now  the  olive  groves  are  ringing, 

Thy  praises  singing. 

45 


Freedom,  we  dreamt  of  thee, 
Freedom,  we  dreamt  of  thee, 

Where  fiery  JEtna  glows, 

Where  the  sweet  orange  blows; 
Far  from  those  azure  skies. 
Where  summer  never  dies, 

Hither  hope  hath  led  our  dreaming, 

Lit  by  thy  gleaming. 

Goddess,  all  hail  to  thee, 
Goddess,  all  hail  to  thee, 

Heiress  of  ages  past, 

Thy  fame  forever  last! 
Farewell,  Eternal  Rome, 
Hail  to  our  new-found  home; 

Unto  thee  we  new  allegiance  give; 

Live,  Freedom,  ever  live! 

Listen!  a  chord  full-toned  and  organ-voiced, 
Borne  from  the  land  of  Schiller  and  of  Goethe, 
Sounded  from  hearts  to  home  and  freedom  true : 


SONG  OF  THE  GERMANS 

On  Rhenish  banks  we  heard  thy  name, 
And  drifting  echoes  of  thy  glory; 

To  us  the  joyful  tidings  came, 

Where  Lurley  sings  'mid  ruins  hoary  - 

Rumors  of  plenty  and  of  peace, 

Where  arms  and  warfare  have  surcease. 

Along  the  Elbe  the  message  ran, 

Of  thee  the  Weser  too  kept  telling 
Tidings  of  larger  hope  for  man, 

The  joy  unto  the  North  Sea  swelling, 
Till  Freedom's  invitation  grand 
Went  thrilling  through  the  Fatherland. 
46 


ff  Ye  who  the  hosts  of  Rome  defied; 

Ye  offspring  of  the  mighty  Herman, 
Come  cast  your  lot  on  Freedom's  side, 
Mans  destiny  come  help  determine; 
Your  long  heroic  struggles  past, 
Here  find  ye  rest  and  peace  at  last! 

"  Long  have  ye  scanty  pittance  had 

From  Mother  Earth,  with  all  your  moiling; 
The  life  is  hard,  the  home  is  sad 

With  wife  and  children  ever  toiling; 
And  manhood's  bloom  is  given  to  war, 
Until  the  nation's  heart  is  sore." 

Hail,  Freedom,  we  have  heard  thy  voice. 
And  hither  come  to  thee  with  singing; 
In  thy  glad  light  we  would  rejoice, 

Our  lives  to  thee  as  tribute  bringing  — 
And  may  thy  light  forever  stand, 
A  beacon  to  the  Fatherland! 

Anon  a  voice  of  pathos  and  of  cheer 
Sounded  athwart  the  multitudinous  song: 

SONG  OF  THE  IRISH 

Erin,  I  love  thee,  my  heart  is  a-breaking, 

Far  from  Killarney  my  footsteps  do  stray; 
In  thy  fair  island  the  morn  is  awaking, 
While  toward  the  sunset  I  wander  away. 
From  thee  I'm  severed, 
From  thee  I'm  severed, 
My  kindred  are  waiting  my  call  to  obey. 

Freedom,  I  love  thee,  thy  smile  brought  me  hither, 

In  that  dear  home-land  they  long  for  thee  too; 
Lacking  thy  sunlight  the  shamrock  doth  wither, 
Though  their  tears  water  its  leaves  as  the  dew; 
There  they  are  waiting, 
There  they  are  waiting, 

Light  with  thy  shining  their  warm  hearts  and  true. 
47 


Land  of  O'Gonnell,  how  long  is  thy  grieving 

Over  the  vision  that  westward  hath  fled; 
There  Taras  children  the  future  are  weaving, 
Kildare  is  sleeping,  but  freedom's  not  dead! 
Erin  is  waiting, 
Erin  is  waiting, 
Follow,  loved  Erin,  where  Freedom  hath  led! 

Freedom,  I  love  thee,  thy  children  here  flocking 

Have  not  forgotten  the  harp  on  the  green; 
Be  thou  their  guardian,  their  hopes  never  mocking, 
Thy  reign  the  fairest  the  world  e'er  hath  seen; 
Kathleen  is  waiting, 
Kathleen  is  waiting, 
Soon  shall  I  send  for  my  darling  Kathleen/ 

From  the  Carpathian  hills  a  longing  voice 
Breathed  of  the  borderland  of  Orient: 

SONG  OF  THE  HUNGARIANS 

We  dwelt  on  Danube's  mighty  stream  — 

Roll  on,  romantic  river! 
Upon  thy  banks  the  ages  dream, 

Fair  knights  their  lances  shiver. 

With  paladin  and  pomp  of  pride 
There  swept  the  old  Crusader; 

There  Hunyady  the  Turk  defied 
And  crushed  the  accursed  invader. 

There  stormed  fierce  Attila  the  Hunf 

Europa's  devastator, 
And  there,  O  Freedom,  rose  thy  son, 

Kossuth  the  Liberator. 

Petofi  sang  thy  paeans  high, 

And  set  our  heartstrings  throbbing; 

Then  for  thy  sake  he  dared  to  die. 
And  left  thy  children  sobbing. 
48 


Of  him  we  learned  thy  glorious  name, 
Where  gleams  the  Danube  river; 

In  every  land  art  thou  the  same  — 
Of  life  the  generous  giver. 

Uplift  our  lot  and  set  us  free, 

Oppressed  with  tribulation; 
Oh,  may  we  Magyars  find  in  thee 

Our  dreams  full  consummation! 

And  thereupon  a  cry  as  of  a  soul 

In  torment,  grieving  hopeless  in  its  pain 


DIRGE  OF  THE  FINNS 

/  hear  the  north  blast  wailing, 

I  see  the  night-wrack  trailing 
Its  pall  upon  the  sea; 

My  broken  heart  is  crying 

For  Finland  crushed  and  dying, 
Dying  in  pain  for  me. 

None,  none  may  dare  befriend  her, 

None,  none  may  dare  defend  her; 
The  Great  White  Czar  hath  answered  with  a  frown, 
And  torn  Suomis  sacred  banner  down. 

He  promised  to  befriend  her, 

He  promised  to  defend  her, 
If  she  to  him  were  true; 

Then  seized  her  precious  dower 

With  his  resistless  power  — 
For  mercy  vain  to  sue! 

"  Vengeance  "  the  storm-cloud  mutters* 

The  distant  thunder  utters 

Warnings  of  tempests  wild,  whose  lightnings  dread 
Shall  wreak  their  fury  on  the  tyrant's  head. 

49 


"  Suomi  is  a-dying" 

I  hear  the  sad  runes  crying 
Along  the  North  Sea  shore. 

Freedom ,  art  vigil  keeping? 

To  thee  we  come  with  weeping, 
Thy  comfort  to  implore. 

O  Time,  art  thou  retreating, 

Our  ancient  hopes  defeating?  — 
The  lights  of  Helsingfors  are  quenched  in  gloom, 
As  Kalevala's  children  meet  their  doom. 

Then  rose  a  sob  of  immemorial  woe : 


CRY  OF  THE  ARMENIANS 

We  heard  thy  voice  across  the  deep 
Where  lone  Armenia's  children  weep; 
A  voice  of  hope  that  bid  us  come 
From  tears  of  age-long  martyrdom. 

The  voice  of  Gregory  is  hushed, 
Our  shrines  are  spoiled,  our  altars  crushed; 
At  noontide  blood;  at  night  despair, 
With  Terror  lurking  everywhere. 

Ah,  long  the  Moslem's  heel  hath  trod 
To  earth  the  ancient  church  of  God; 
Long,  long  her  bitter,  piercing  cry 
Hath  risen  to  the  unpitying  sky. 

The  Muscovite  our  pleeding  spurns, 
And  from  our  woe  in  anger  turns; 
Katholikos  is  put  to  shame 
For  fealty  to  thy  sacred  name. 

Our  ancient  generations  prayed 
For  thee,  by  sword  and  fire  dismayed; 
How  canst  thou,  Freedom,  bear  to  set 
Such  long-enduring  misery/ 

5° 


Europas  heart  of  stone  is  cold, 

Askance  she  views  our  sorrows  old; 

Her  voice  that  might  have  cheered  is  dumb  - 

Sweet  Freedom,  to  thy  home  we  come. 

Sounded  an  echo  of  the  age-long  struggle 
'Gainst  oppression  on  the  Vistula  — 
Brave  eagle's  nest,  by  paw  and  talon  torn : 

SONG   OF   THE   POLES 

Freedom,  from  our  birthright  driven, 

Seek  we  thy  fair  bourne; 
Tyrants1  steel  our  hearts  hath  riven, 
Poland's  woes  we  mourn. 
Kochanowskie  sing 
Dirges  for  our  brave  — 
Polska,  wake  from  sleep! 
Freedom,  vigil  keep! 

Kosciusko,  dost  thou  see  us 

On  this  foreign  strand? 
Thou  didst  give  thyself  to  free  us  — 
Fettered  still  thy  land. 
Polaska,  fare  thee  well; 
Who  our  pain  may  know! 
Freedom,  hear  our  cry ; 
To  thine  arms  we  fly! 

From  the  far  home  of  Pushkin  and  of  Tolstoy 
Sorrowed  a  minor  chord  of  disappointment  — 
A  voice  of  anguish  fleeing  from  the  storm : 

SONG    OF  THE    RUSSIANS 

O'er  the  wide  Ural  steppes 

Fierce  cries  the  tempest, 

Fierce  the  buran's  wrath  from  Neva  to  Don; 

5' 


Terror  hath  driven  us 
Unto  thy  keeping; 
Famine  hath  stricken  and 
Hurried  us  on. 

Freedom,  we  learned  thy  name  — 

Hope  rose  exulting  — 

When  Alexander  unfettered  the  serf; 

New  life  he  brought  to  light, 

Dawn  cheered  our  weeping: 

Man  should  no  longer  be 

Kin  to  the  turf! 

Ivan  the  terrible, 

Art  thou  awakening! 

Know'st  thou,  great  Peter,  how  troubled  thy  realm? 

Whither  doth  drive  the  storm, 

O   sacred  ikons, 

Drifting  to  darkness, 

Broken  the  helm? 

Tyranny,  brought  to  bay, 

Humbled  and  crying 

Unto  the  people,  for  mercy  shall  kneel; 

Seething,  the  tumult  vast 

Shakes  Holy  Russia  — 

Mighty  her  travail  throes 

With  commonweal! 

Freedom,  all  glorious, 

Lead  thou  the  nations; 

Long  may  thy  beacon  shine  far  in  the  night! 

Unto  thy  stronghold  we 

Hasten  for  refuge; 

Do  thou  our  little  ones 

Guard  by  thy  might. 

Hark!  'mid  the  various  choirs  those  tuneful  voices, 
Chanting  the  brotherhood  of  liberty: 

52 


SONG  OF  THE  FRENCH 

From  Lafayette  we  learned  thy  story; 

For  thee  he  tore  himself  from  France; 
Thou,  Freedom,  crownedst  him  with  glory, 

Forever  may  thy  cause  advance, 

Forever  may  thy  cause  advance; 
Oppression  s  victims  here  befriending, 

We'll  stand  together,  heart  and  handf 

At  one  throughout  this  mighty  land, 
Our  glorious  heritage  defending! 

Beware,  freemen,  beware, 

Forever  vigil  keep! 
Watch  well,  watch  well  your  heritage; 

Lest  foes  in  ambush  creep! 

And  borne  upon  the  tide  of  symphony, 
Wind-wafted,  broken  snatches  smote  the  ear  — 
Voices  of  stalwart  island  yeomanry: 


SONG  OF  THE  ENGLISH 

Mother  of  Liberty, 
How  oft  in  vain  to  thee 

The  helpless  cry; 
Thou  who  on  Runnymede 
Didst  sow  the  sacred  seed, 
Ages  unborn  to  feed, 

Shall  freedom  die? 

Thou  of  the  sea-girt  throne, 
Shouldst  thou  thy  past  disown. 

Thy  gold  for  drvss; 
Shouldst  thou  their  cry  ignore 
Who  freedom's  light  implore, 
On  many  a  distant  shore, 

How  vast  the  loss  I 

53 


Mother  of  Liberty, 

Here  thy  proud  offspring  see 

In  might  enthroned! 
Freedom,  forever  young, 
Here  be  thy  praises  sung 
In  our  loved  mother-tongue; 

Close  kinship  owned! 

We  seek  more  generous  soil 
Whereon  to  spend  our  toil, 

For  richer  wage; 
Under  thy  new-forged  shield 
Crave  we  a  wider  field, 
Precedent  there  shall  yield  — 

Youth  supplant  age. 

Vainly  thy  banner  flies 
Beneath  unnumbered  skies, 

Sway  to  extend, 
While  in  thine  island  fair 
Gaunt  want  and  pale  despair 
Thy  troubled  children  bear 


Vain,  vain  the  wealth  of  mines 
That  in  thy  Transvaal  shines, 
With   freedom    crushed; 


Through  India's  vast  domain 
How  seek'st  thou  sordid  gain, 

Where  Famine  rules; 
Where  ghastly  Pestilence 
His  cohorts  doth  intrench, 
Lest  light  should  drive  him  hence. 


54 


Mother  of  Liberty, 
Dost  thou  not  joy  to  see 

Thy  daughter's  might! 
Together  may  ye  bear, 
Thou  and  thine  offspring  fair  — 
Hushing  war's  impious  blare  — 

World-conquering  light! 


Borne  on  the  south  wind's  balm,  soft-toned,  there 

flowed 

A  song  of  sorrows  vast,  a  prayer  of  hope, 
Melodiously  sung  by  voices  low: 


SONG  OF  THE  FREEDMEN 

From  Ethiopian  shores  of  night, 

In  terror  bound,  our  fathers  came; 

For  them  no  glimmer  of  thy  light, 
For  them  but  mockery  thy  name. 

Patient  they  bore  the  grievous  goad, 
The  cane-brake  and  the  hopeless  field; 

Their  manhood  crushed  beneath  the  load  — 
No  refuge  found  they  in  thy  shield. 

Then,  moved  with  pity,  thou  didst  break 
Their  bonds,  and  bid  their  manhood  rise; 

Thy  coming  fierce  the  earth  did  shake, 
Thy  lightnings  pierced  the  flaming  skies. 

For  thee  they  fought,  for  thee  they  bled, 
The  anguish  of  the  past  forgave  — 

By  thy  glad  light  may  we  be  led, 
O  gracious  Freedom,  strong  to  save! 

55 


Floating  above  Manchuria's  ghastly  strife  — 

Where  in  re-birth  throes  fierce  to  the  light 

Kindled  at  Freedom's  fane,  Asia  is  locked 

In  mortal  combat  with  the  Occident's 

Proud  Autocrat  and  Enemy  of  Day  — 

Rises  a  sound  of  triumph  and  a  cry 

Of  consternation,  wrung  from  dire  disaster, 

While  to  the  home  of  Freedom  in  the  West 

Embassies  twain  approach.     One  had  put  off 

Splendor  of  priceless  Oriental  robes 

Of  state  emblazoned  with  the  Rising  Sun, 

And  one  imperial  pomp  of  heraldry 

Gorgeous  with  emblems  of  the  Autocrat. 

Their  mission  too  momentous  far,  too  vast 

For  vain  display.     Clothed  in  simplicity, 

On  burdened  shoulders  do  the  leaders  bear 

The  fate  of  empires,  breathless  from  the  strife. 

Peace  and  war  in  the  balance  hang.    The  world, 

Aghast  at  the  earth-shaking  conflict  stands, 

And  wearied  with  the  carnage  prays  surcease, 

Surcease  from  reign  of  horror  and  of  blood  — 

Peace  begs  these  titans  to  be  reconciled, 

Crying:   All  men  are  brothers!   cease,  oh,  cease! 

The  heavens  applaud  as  Roosevelt  leads  the  way 
From  war's  dark  Hell,  sheathing  a  million  swords. 
And  the  great  Mikado,  ever  laurel-crowned  — 
Port  Arthur's  terror,  Liaoyang,  vast  Mukden, 
World-sea-fight  of  Japan  incomparable  — 
Challenging  Christendom  with  his  high  act, 
Led  by  the  spirit  of  the  Galilean, 
Yields  to  his  vanquished  foe,  for  love  of  humankind. 

CRY  OF  THE  VANQUISHED 

We  fought  for  glory  of  the  Tzar, 
To  speed  his  rule  divine  afar 
Till  Asia  s  vast-ness,  whence  we  came 
In  ancient  days,  should  own  his  name; 

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The  realms  of  Orient  homage  pay, 
Lord  of  the  myriads  of  Cathay  — 
Till  Holy  Church  assume  her  dower, 
Enrobed  in  universal  power. 

O  Sacred  Russia,  can  it  be 
That  thou  in  shame  must  bend  the  knee, 
Thy  broken  sword  must  idly  rust> 
Thine  armies  moulder  in  the  dust! 

Crushed  in  the  grasp  of  ruthless  fate, 
In  blank  despair  we  breathless  wait; 
Our  land  is  red  with  fire  and  blood, 
Our  sorrows  whelm  us  like  a  flood. 

The  heavens  are  black,  the  earth  is  rent. 
In  vain  our  prayers  to  heaven  are  sent; 
The  shadow  of  impending  doom 
Has  wrapped  the  empire's  throne  in  gloom. 

The  waking  manhood  of  the  realm 
Is  grasping  for  the  broken  helm; 
The  people's  wrath  brooks  no  delay, 
The  Autocrat  is  brought  to  bay. 

Freedom,  thy  name  is  in  the  air, 
'Tis  "freedom,  freedom"  everywhere; 
Be  thou  our  friend  in  this  dark  hour, 
Show  us  the  secret  of  thy  power. 

In  our  distress  we  turn  to  thee  — 
Let  mercy  temper  victory; 
Ask  that  the  foe  our  honor  spare  I 
With  thee  new  glory  may  we  share! 


57 


SONG  OF  THE  VICTOR. 

Hail,  Freedom!  from  the  prison-house  of  Night 
Our  fathers  didst  thou  lead,  and  give  them  light, 
Didst  send  thy  son,  brave  Perry,  to  our  shore, 
With  thy  strong  key  to  open  wide  the  door. 
Hail  to  thy  starry  firmament,  thy  hues  of  morn, 
That  glowed  anew,  the  while  our  Rising  Sun  was 
born! 

As  grows  the  light  on  Fujiyama's  head, 
So  through  the  Orient  the  day  shall  spread; 
As  smiles  fair  Nippon,  wreathed  in  cherry  bloom, 
So  shall  the  weary  Past  forget  its  gloom. 
The  Lotus  unto  thee  her  fragrant  greeting  sends: 
Long    may    Columbia   and   the    Sunrise   Land    be 
friends! 

The  Son  of  Heaven,whose  virtue  lights  the  world, 
Hath  unto  death  his  mighty  foeman  hurled. 
Whose  navies  rust,  deep  in  the  yawning  main, 
Whose  bones  corrupt  Manchuria's  reeking  plain, 

Who  would  our  light  extinguish  and  our  freedom 
blight, 

And  push  us  back  into  the  jaws  of  Night. 

The  orphan  weeps,  the  widow  kneels  in  pain, 
Dai  Nippon  mourns  her  martyr-heroes  slain; 
For  thine  ideals  went  they  forth  to  die, 
In  long  procession  to  the  wondering  sky, 

Where  with  our  ancient  dead  henceforth  in  joy  they 
live  — 

And  let  Earth  too  her  meed  of  praise  and  glory  give. 

Hail,  Freedom!  from  the  field  of  victory 

We  come  to  taste  thy  hospitality; 

To  meet,  'neath  thy  just  gaze  our  vanquished  foe, 

That  Peace  may  calm  the  pangs  of  Wars  vast  woe. 
Thou  wast  of  old  a  generous  conqueror,  and  we 
Would  emulate  thy  lofty  magnaminity. 

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THE  GIANT  MUTTERS  IN  SLEEP 

When  the  newcomers'  cadences  had  ceased  — 

Paean  with  dirge  upon  the  air  commingling  — 

All  save  Freedom  started  at  a  voice, 

A  voice,  portentous,  inarticulate, 

Muttering  in  sleep,  as  'twere  a  giant  stirred  — 

Formless  and  vast,  extended  league  on  league, 

Dim  on  the  horizon  of  the  Orient  — 

Disturbed  from  slumbers  immemorial 

Since  the  long  story  of  mankind  began, 

Seeming  to  murmur  low:   If  I  should  wake  — 

Strange  sounds  methinks  I  hear,  unknown  of  old 

To  gods  or  men  —  If  I  should  wake  and  claim 

The  hand  of  common,  human  brotherhood, 

The  which  they  seem  to  sing  —  I,  eldest  brother  — 

Old     ere     yon     weaklings,     demon-bred,     were 

spawned  — 

If  I  should  wake,  would  Freedom  welcome  me? 
Or  must  I  bid  my  countless  myraids  rise  — 
Turn  back  the  wheels  of  trade  upon  their  heads  — 
Shake  off  the  hungry  parasites  that  feed 
Upon  the  Middle  Kingdom  —  drench  the  world 
With  blood,  to  show  my  might — I,  eldest  brother — 
Master  —  heir  of  untold  generations  — 
Unchain  the  typhoon,  Asia's  fury  loose  — 
Ere  these  proud  upstarts  deign  to  own  me  man? 
Beware!     I     dream!  —  Wake    not    the    Dragon's 

ire  — 
If  I  should  wake  from  sleep  —  If  I  should  wake  — 


59 


FREEDOM'S  SONG  OF  WELCOME 

Then  Freedom  rose,  majestic,  standing  forth, 
Her  face  irradiate,  her  welcoming  arms 
Outstretched  in  yearning  to  the  multitudes 
Fast  gathering  at  her  feet  from  alien  shores. 
Anon  she  raised  her  voice  in  song,  while  all 
Gave  ear  unto  her.     Men  forgot  old  wrongs 
And  woes,  and  from  afar  long  hopeless  eyes 
Kindled  with  a  new  light ;  war's  dreadful  scourge 
And  cry  were  hushed  to  silence  by  the  charm  — 
Stilled  by  her  soothing  tones  of  tenderness: 

Come  hither,  children,  come, 
Welcome,  Oh,  welcome  home 

To  dwell  with  me. 
Behind  you  leave  your  fears, 
Your  bondage  and  your  tears, 

Come  and  be  free ! 

Behold  the  feast  my  hands  for  you  have  laid 
In  this  fair  home  which  Freedom's  might  hath 
made! 

Here  lave  your  wounds  with  peace, 
May  feud  and  envy  cease, 
Your  souls  grow  strong, 
Forgot  each  petty  clan ; 
My  labors  are  for  man, 

My  travails  long. 

Come,  I  will  show  you  where  sweet  waters  flow 
And  fruits  that  only  in  my  gardens  grow. 

The  troubled  night  is  past, 
The  dawning  breaks  at  last, 

Behold  and  sing. 
Forget  the  ancient  wrong, 
Swell  the  exultant  song, 

Manhood  is  king! 

See  where  my  teeming  plains  with  harvests  gleam  ; 
See    from    each    cloud-capped    range    my    glory 
stream ! 

60 


For  me  the  Fathers  wrought, 
With  foe  and  famine  fought, 

The  seed  to  plant  ; 
Now,  by  their  labors  blest, 
The  exiled  and  oppressed 

Their  praises  chant. 

Take  heed  that  ye,  departing,  leave  behind 
As  noble  fruitage  as  ye  joy  to  find. 

With  lust  of  greed  and  power 
Have  done!    a  fairer  dower 

Is  mine.     I  faint 
In  that  foul  atmosphere. 
My  native  breezes  clear 
Are  free  from  taint. 
Beware  lest  ye  my  warnings  cast  away, 
And  in  my  wrath  I  leave  you  in  a  day. 

No  more  my  torch  ye  see, 
Myself  your  light  will  be, 

The  land  to  illume. 
I  live  by  light  alone  — 
Bane  of  Oppression's  throne, 

The  tyrant's  doom. 

Here  from  each  prisoned  human  soul  divine 
I  strike  the  fetters.     Rise,  with  me  to  shine ! 


61 


INVOCATION 

O  Thou  Eternal  Source  of  Light, 

Who  madest  man  to  dwell  with  Thee, 

Protect  Thy  children  by  thy  might, 
Who  from  afar  have  fled  to  me. 

Led  hither  by  Thy  generous  hand, 
The  troubled  past  they  leave  behind; 

New  hope,  new  life  in  this  fair  land, 
Almighty  Parent,  may  they  find. 

Thou  who  didst  call  Creation  good, 

When  Heaven  acclaimed  the  birth  of  Time, 

Here  crown  Thy  works  with  Brotherhood, 
Here  loose  the  bonds  of  every  clime. 

Dispel  the  shadows  of  the  night 

That  long  have  bound  the  sons  of  time; 
In  Thy  glad  light  may  we  see  light; 

Show  us  our  destiny  sublime! 


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